LOS ANGELES — It all came down to one poignant moment: Minutes after John Carney booted an 19-yard field goal with no time remaining to give Notre Dame an improbable, 38-37 victory over Southern California Saturday, a disconsolate Ted Tollner addressed the student body.

But when Tollner, the embattled Trojans coach, climbed up on a platform and his picture flashed on the Coliseum scoreboard, much of the crowd of 70,614 greeted him with a chorus of boos.

Tollner, who has been rumored to be fired if he failed to produce a victory over the Fighting Irish, seemed perplexed by it all, and said later the display was ''unfortunate.''

Don Shafer had a different view. The senior, who had kicked three field goals on this day, including a school and Pacific 10 Conference record 60- yarder, lashed out at the fans.

''Everyone talks about the Trojan family . . . well I wouldn't want any of them to be in my family,'' he said.

''It was pathetic the way the crowd reacted. Nothing I do from now one will be for anyone but myself, the team and the coach.''

With the noose getting tighter around Tollner's neck, Shafer may not have to worry about pleasing his coach.

The Irish made it four in a row over Tollner's Trojans. Coupled with last week's embarrassment against UCLA, Tollner's record against his two chief rivals falls to 1-7, a fact that has led to widespread speculation that he won't be around to coach his team in the Florida Citrus Bowl Jan. 1.

''I have no idea,'' he answered when asked about his tenuous job security. ''We just played a hell of a football game, and if that's not good enough, then there's nothing I can do about it.''

In the 58th renewal of a series fraught with drama, it was the Irish who made all the big plays, especially in the end, scoring 17 points in the final 12 minutes to erase a 37-20 deficit.

Playing his last game for Notre Dame, quarterback Steve Beuerlein (18-of- 27 285 yards, 4 touchdowns) capped an 80-yard march with a 5-yard scoring pass to Braxton Banks, then hit Andy Heck with a pass for the two-point conversion to bring the Irish within 37-35 with 4:14 remaining.

Then after the Irish stopped USC and forced a punt, Tim Brown returned it 56 yards to set up Carney's game-winner.

But there might not have been any last-second heroics if the Trojans converted a fourth-and-inches at the Irish 5 with USC leading, 37-27, with 6:16 left.

Instead, quarterback Rodney Peete was ruled he actually lost yardage on the sneak and complained so vociferously he drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty that got the Irish out of the hole.

''I usually don't get mad about an officials' call,'' Peete said. ''But on that play, all we needed was this much he spread his thumb and forefinger apart two inches.''

''All you have to do is fall forward in that situation. I fell forward and then some . . . It was the worst call I've ever seen.''

''I can't think of a finer way to end the season,'' first-year coach Lou Holtz said. ''We've played better than I had any right to expect. We could be 10-1 right now very easily.''